Studies show fracking harms animals near site

I read with some dismay your front-page article Tuesday titled ''Fracking Royalties Transform Lives.'' I wish our invaluable farmers well and would be happy to see them get the income they deserve. But to suggest that fracking is a good way to do this leaves out a huge part of the picture. As Annette Gurdo writes in her letter Wednesday (''Where there's fracking, property values drop''), fracking harm goes well beyond the land where the wells are drilled. It creates very large quantities of radioactive waste, contaminates wells and aquifers and pollutes the air with poison chemicals. It also forever degrades valuable farm and forest land. Gurdo makes the point that it may be the property owner's right to do as he or she wishes on their own land, but this right does not extend to harming others.

Michelle Bamberger, an Ithaca veterinarian and Robert Oswald, a professor of molecular medicine at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine, have published a peer-reviewed report that suggests a link between fracking and illness in food animals The authors compiled 24 case studies of farmers in six shale states whose livestock experienced neurological, reproductive and acute gastrointestinal problems after being exposed to fracking chemicals in the water or air. Bamberger and Oswald describe how scores of animals died over several years. They are very concerned that exposed livestock ''are making their way into the food system.'' The authors cite many incidents of cattle near fracking operations becoming sick or dying, calves being born dead, etc. Needless to say, humans near fracking sites suffer serious health problems, too.

The moratorium on hydrofracking in New York could end as soon as mid-February. If you want the moratorium to be continued or, better, if you want fracking banned entirely in New York, please contact Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He will make a decision soon.